The governor has cut funding for the program that monitors water quality in San Mateo County’s creeks and beaches, report the County Times.
County officials learned of the $35,000 budget cut this week as part of a million-dollar line-item veto the governor exacted on the state’s entire ocean water-quality monitoring program, funded on a year-to-year basis through an appropriation facilitated by the Department of Public Health.[...]
State nonprofit group Heal the Bay won’t be able to collect crucial beach closure data for its annual “Beach Bummer” report, which this spring listed Half Moon Bay’s Venice Beach as one of the most polluted beaches in the state for the second year in a row.
Venice Beach is one of the locations that will lose its county monitors under the new regime. Other locations north of Half Moon Bay, such as Pillar Point Harbor and the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, will still receive testing thanks to the San Mateo County Resource Conservation District, an independent agency that recently obtained a one-year grant to coordinate a posse of “citizen scientists” who will perform water-quality tests throughout the midcoast area.
The cuts were retroactive to July 1, and the county must find $105,000 to cover the testing it has already been done.


Sam's Chowder House Hosts Fundraiser Supporting the Big Wave Project, Mar 14 11:27am, Barry Parr — I’ve added the flyer for the event to Dave’s post. Dave had emailed to me when he posted the letter, but I was unable to post until now. If Sam’s or Big Wave had sent me the flyer, I would have been happy to run it. I don’t support Big Wave, but ...
Princeton Seafood Co. on board with “Hats Off to Teachers”, Mar 14 9:40am, Cindi Whittemore — Just want to let all teachers know, Ink Spell Books continues to appreciate you by continuing to offer 20% off all book teachers purchase. ...
The Coast needs your help, Part 2, Mar 14 8:52am, Sabrina Brennan — Please FAX Assembly Member Juan Arambula Fax: 916-319-2131. Assembly Members Arambula and Skinner have different fax numbers! A hearing is scheduled for this Tuesday or Wednesday. The Coast is under attack and this time, if the proposal to ...
Sam's Chowder House Hosts Fundraiser Supporting the Big Wave Project, Mar 13 8:55am, Amy Tezza — You don’t want BIg Wave to be built and so you disapprove of this fundraiser. Is this the sort of comment you are fishing for? Or we should just send the comments directly to Sam’s? I saw that you gave Sam’s a one star “rating” in Yelp because ...
Pacifica examines widening part of Hwy 1 to six lanes, Mar 12 8:23pm, Carl May — Given the well-known effect of school traffic on traffic congestion from the midcoast through HMB, possible busing in Pacifica would seem worth studying. Vallemar School is a K-8 campus with a good record of achievement, and at least some parents ...
Pacifica examines widening part of Hwy 1 to six lanes, Mar 12 4:59pm, Amy Tezza — I think Barbara Kossy’s observation is spot on; this is my daily commute and on non school mornings it’s not a problem but it can take over fifteen minutes to get through Pacifica during rush hour on school days. Sometimes people ask me if the ...
Photo: HMB HS students ask CUSD board to keep counselors, Mar 12 6:21am, Katharine Weber — The pleas were poignant, but a day too late. We all received our lay off notices the next day. The decision had been made during the four previous board meetings. By the time the Board met at Cunha, it was already decided…..but the support was ...